Alexander Cockburn: Surefooted Mountain Goat of Radical Journalism

It is the symbol of the mountain goat that carries my astonishment and grief at news of the death of Alexander Cockburn.

“It stays at high elevations,” says Wikipedia of the mountain goat, “and is a sure-footed climber, often resting on rocky cliffs that predators cannot access.”

Such was the writing of Alex, who always leapt and clattered upon the highest and stoniest peaks. Language for him was not to be wasted in comfy meadows. He reminded readers, syllable by syllable, that human beings are good enough to expect the best from themselves and their history.

Thanks to the editorial support of Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair, the Texas Civil Rights Review was able to share more than a hundred stories with CounterPunch readers. I would now and then send notes to Alex expressing my gratitude for his editorial support. He would now and then reciprocate with messages of encouragement.

“THANKS GREG KEEP ON SLUGGING,” he wrote once. So the best way I know to remember Alex is to keep on slugging away! –gm